MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
GROUND RULES FOR LOCAL NEGOTIATIONS
BETWEEN
DLA SAN JOAQUIN
AND

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES (AFGE) LOCAL 1546

Articles 5 and 38 of the Master Labor Agreement (MLA)

. Representatives of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1546
hereinafter referred to as the “Union,” and representatives of DLA San Joaquin (DLA
Distribution San Joaquin, Installation Management, Disposition Services, Document
Services and J6 Information Operations) hereinafter referred to as the “Agency” and
jointly referred to as the “Parties,”

. The Parties agree that these ground rules shall govern the conduct of all local
negotiations, in accordance with Articles 5 and 38 of the 2022 Master Labor Agreement
(MLA), between the Union and the Agency located at DLA San Joaquin during the term
of the MLA.

. The negotiating teams may be comprised of up to five representatives to include one
Chief Negotiator. Each team will be allowed to designate a note-taker who is not part of
the negotiating team. The Chief Negotiators will act as the spokesperson for their team in
negotiating all aspects of the agreement. Alternate members may be designated as
necessary but will not alter these ground rules or any text agreed to prior to the
substitution(s). An alternate Chief Negotiator, by either party, may be assigned based on
the tenant representing a specific Article from their organization.

_ The Union will bear all travel and per diem costs (to include rental vehicles(s)) for their
negotiation team members as well as travel and per diem costs (to include rental
vehicles(s)) for any third~party proceedings.

. Members of the Negotiating Teams, who are employees of DLA, will be on official time
during negotiation sessions. Official time will be granted to Union bargaining team
members for the time spent in face-to-face negotiations. The parties encourage the use of
electronic communications methods (e.g., video teleconferences, telephone conferences,
office communicator) where appropriate and practicable for these negotiations and for
pre-negotiations.

. The parties will exchange a list of full names, titles, e-mail addresses, and telephone
numbers of their respective team members no later than 5 business days prior to the date
set for the commencement of negotiations, per supplement agreement. Although the
parties may replace team members as necessary, both parties agree stability of the
negotiating teams is important for effective negotiations. If a party must make a change
to their initial list of team members, then that party must notify the other party in writing


10.

ll.

12.

13.

14.

as soon as practicable. Such notification will include the full name, title, work address, e-
mail address, and telephone number of the new team member.

Upon receipt of such a proposed change, the Union may, within 10 workdays, demand to
bargain concerning the proposed changes. The Union will submit its proposals within 20
workdays of receipt of the proposed change. Within five (5) workdays of receiving the
Union’s proposals, the parties will confer as necessary to achieve an agreement. Either
party may request an extension.

Negotiations will be scheduled for three days each week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday, not to exceed eight (6) hours a day between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00
p.m. except as modified by mutual agreement between the parties. Short breaks and
recesses during the negotiations will be by mutual consent. Lunch periods will be one
hour. Negotiations will not be held on Federal holidays. The parties are expected to be
punctual and remain at the table throughout bargaining. Negotiation sessions will be two
weeks on, one week off, unless a change is mutually agreed to by the parties.

The negotiations will be held in an agency provided local location, which will include
caucus rooms. The Employer will not pay for offsite meeting space for negotiations.
The parties encourage the use of electronic communications methods (e.g., video
teleconferences, telephone conferences, office communicator) where appropriate and
practicable for these negotiations and for pre-negotiations.

Either party may call caucuses. However, caucuses will be held to the shortest time
necessary. If a caucus is likely to exceed 30 minutes, then the party calling the caucus
will notify the other party of the situation and discuss whether there will be an extended
caucus, recess, or other arrangement the caucusing party requests so that time is not
wasted, The caucusing party will make every reasonable effort to avoid delaying the
negotiations unnecessarily. The party calling the caucus will leave the negotiating table
and caucus in the designated room. Extended caucus periods will not alter or extend the
period allotted to complete negotiations. Official time will not be granted for Union
caucuses that exceed one (1) hour.

The parties will initial and date agreed-upon MOAs as they are completed. After
initialing or signing the MOA, it will not be subject to further discussion unless there is
mutual agreement to reopen the agreed-upon MOA.

There will be no official transcripts of the negotiations. Each party may take and maintain
their own notes. No recording devices are permitted in the negotiations. Each team will
be allowed to designate a note taker who is not part of the negotiation team.

Agreements will be reduced to writing (i.c., MOA, MOU). When an agreement is
reached, it will be typed in final form and executed (signed and dated) by both parties
without delay. All MOAs/MOUs will have an expiration date. The Agency will then
forward all local agreements to HQ DLA and Council 169 for review and approval.

It is the intent of the Parties to hold any individual article, and /or sections of articles on

which agreement cannot be reached until all negotiable items on which agreement can be
reached are disposed of. At that time, the Parties will make a diligent effort to resolve all
outstanding articles and /or sections. If the diligent effort does not result in an agreement,


the services of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service will be requested by either
or both parties. If the services of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service do not
resolve the impasse, either party may request the Federal Services Impasses Panel (FSIP)
to settle the dispute in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 7119.

15. Once negotiations have commenced, any changes to these procedures may be made only
by mutual consent of the Chief Negotiators. Any new or modified terms agreed to will be
reduced to writing and signed and dated by the Chief Negotiators.

16. Upon completion of the Local Agreements that is fully acceptable to both parties, the
Agency will prepare the Local Agreements in final draft for review and proofreading.
The Parties will have 15 calendar days to review for errors and/or discrepancies. In the
event that any of the Local Agreements that were at impasse become in the jurisdiction of
the FSIP, upon their decision, the article(s) would then be submitted to Council 169 and
DLA Headquarters for review in accordance with Article 38, Section 5 of the MLA.

For DLA San Joaquin For the Union:

» 7 aa LBAPR2 | ctl hd Date: RQ-ld “Lod

UY
DLA Distribution Commander President art t 546